


It Just Hurts

by cathcer1984



Series: Tumblr Fic [7]
Category: Teen Wolf (TV)
Genre: Angst and Feels, Canonical Character Death, Comfort/Angst, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Gen, M/M, Stilinski Family Feels
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-03-15
Updated: 2020-03-15
Packaged: 2021-02-28 17:02:16
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,106
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23150638
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/cathcer1984/pseuds/cathcer1984
Summary: Stiles struggles with the fifteenth anniversary of his mom's death.
Relationships: Sheriff Stilinski & Stiles Stilinski
Series: Tumblr Fic [7]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/546709
Comments: 4
Kudos: 40





	It Just Hurts

**Author's Note:**

> For Booknerd6012 who asked for 39 & Stilinski family feels [from this list](https://avenging-criminal-bones.tumblr.com/post/189019521454/drabble-request-help).
> 
> 39: "It just... hurts."

Stiles never got why people made a big deal out of specific time frame anniversaries over other ones. What made the first, tenth, fifteen, twentieth etc etc more important than the second, third, twelfth or nineteenth. 

But for the last weeks he's been filled with a sense of dread. He feels jittery and like his skin is too tight. Stiles has been snapping at his colleagues, his lover, his neighbour and even the barista that made his coffee this morning.

He's not stupid, he knows what's causing his behaviour. Stiles just doesn't understand why it's hitting him harder in the fifteen year than it did the fourteenth or the ninth. 

Encouraged by his partner Stiles takes the day off form work, he calls in sick and stomps out of their apartment, alone. He just wants to be alone, Stiles shouts as he slams their door shut behind him. 

Only when Stiles is sitting in the car, not able to be in the jeep today, he doesn't want to be alone. He's also too ashamed of how he pushed everyone away in this last week to reach out to his friends, his Pack. 

Stiles goes home. To his dad's. The Sheriff cruiser is still in the driveway, he'll have called in sick to work today as well. It's not secret to the station that the Sheriff takes this day off, they have it covered in the roster for months beforehand. 

"Hey kiddo," his dad says when Stiles lets himself in. He looks wan and old. 

"Hey dad," Stiles says just as tiredly before falling into his dad's hug. They hold on tight and Stiles' eyes burn. "Is it just me or is it harder this year?" 

"Not just you, Stiles." His dad brings a hand up to clutch at the back of Stiles' head, hard. It hurts but Stiles lets him, they both need this comfort, both need to feel something. Slowly they pull away and Stiles' dad wipes his eyes. "Coffee?" 

"Yeah." 

They fall into an easy silence. The weight of the day heavy on both their shoulders. 

Later on Stiles checks his phone, he has five missed calls and three times as unread texts. He sighs and hurtles his phone on to the couch next to him. It's not satisfying enough to break him from the rising anger. From his seat in the armchair his dad rubs his thumb over his wedding ring as he watches Stiles, he looks sad, defeated. 

Now is the time for them to part, Stiles doesn't like seeing his dad so maudlin, it just fuels his anger. And his dad hates how angry Stiles gets, thinks it's directed at him for leaving a nine year old alone at the hospital bedside of a dying, delusional woman. Stiles stands and tugs on his shoes, he pockets his phone ignoring the vibrations of another incoming phone call. 

"Stiles-" Dad starts, pauses then steels himself as he looks up at Stiles from his armchair. "I wish you could let go of your anger, son."

It's not what Stiles expected him to say and he slumps back onto the sofa. "It just... hurts." Stiles' voice is small to his own ears, he feels the burn in the back of his throat and his eyes sting. His dad is off the armchair and pulling him into a tight hug. 

"I know it does, son. I know." 

"Fifteen fucking years dad." Stiles chokes out. "I've had more of my life without her than I did with her." Dad holds him tighter, so tight it hurts to breath. Or maybe that's the ache in his chest. 

"Let it out, Mischief." Dad whispers into his hair, and the name - his mom's name for him - falling from his dad's lips makes Stiles sob. Dad keeps talking to him, soothing him with his words and gentle motions of his hands. 

Eventually Stiles stops crying, stops leaning so heavily on his dad and he sits up. His dad is a wreak. His face streaked with tears, eyes red and lines deeper than Stiles has seen them in a long time. "She'd be so proud of you, her little Mischief." 

"You really think so?" Stiles wipes his eyes and nose on his sleeve. Dad uses a couple of tissues. 

"I know so." 

Stiles bites his lip. "She wouldn't hate me for-" he breaks of with shrug.

"For being bisexual?" Dad guesses, and when Stiles nods he sighs. "Son, she loved you. You were her world. I know it got... rough towards the end. But you were her everything. She would have accepted you, and your partner male or female so long as they treated you right." 

"You think she'd like him?" 

"Oh no doubt." Dad smiles, more happy than sad. "She'd love him because you love him. Your mother was the most beautiful woman I ever met. Inside and out." 

Stiles is smiling as he reaches for his dad's hand. They grip tight. 

"I think, I think maybe we should talk about her more, son." 

"Yeah." 

They sit together for a long time, Stiles' phone buzzes in his pocket again. Dad nudges his shoulder. "Answer it, let him know you're okay. And for god's sake tell him to bring some pizza round for dinner."

Stiles laughs breathlessly. "You sure?" 

"He's family." Dad stands up, "I'm going to get some drinks." 

Stiles watches him go through the kitchen door. He answers his phone when it starts ringing again. 

"I'm sorry." 

"Oh, Stiles, you don't have to anything to be sorry about."

"I love you." Stiles can't help but say. 

There's an amused huff of laughter. "And I love you." 

"Dad says to bring some pizza round for dinner." Stiles bites his lip.

"Are you sure?" 

"Yeah." Stiles feels a lot lighter. "We're a family. And- and I want to tell you about my mom." 

There's a silence, loaded and heavy. "I'd love to hear about her. I'll be round in about half an hour."

"Awesome. Be safe. I'll see you soon." Stiles hangs up, a smile on his face. He feels like a weight has been lifted, the hurt from losing his mom will never go away but it's easier to carry now. 

Dad comes back in with three beers, he hands one to Stiles, sets the other on the table and keeping one for himself. "We're alright, the pair of us, aren't we, Stiles?"

"Definitely. Love you dad." Stiles leans in for another hug, even as he takes a swig of beer.

Dad curls an arm around his shoulders, pressing a kiss to Stiles' hair before he responds, "love you too, Mischief."

**Author's Note:**

> I decided not to name Stiles' partner. It can appeal to everyone. It can be whomever you want it to be: Peter, Derek, Scott, OC, whoever. It's not the point of the drabble.


End file.
